Cotton-thinner.



No. 759,173. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

G. L, GREEN. COTTON THINNER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 23. 1903.

H0 MODEL. 2 BHEET8-SHEET l.

UNITED STATES GEORGE LAWSON GREEN,

Patented May 3, 1904.

OF NEWARK, ARKANSAS.

COTTON-THINNEH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Le ers P n 1 759,173, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed March 23, 1903.

T0 adZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LAWSON GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Independence and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Thinner, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton-thinners of that class which areadapted to operate across the ridges of cotton for the purpose of thinning the same and leaving stands of cotton at the desired distance apart.

My present invention may be described as being an improvement on the device for which Letters Patent of the United States N 0. 718,451 were issued to myself on the 13th day of January, 1903. In the said patent a ground-frame, mounted upon runners, supported a vertically-adjustable frame carrying the thinning plows and vertically movable shovels operating midway between the cotton rows.

By my present invention the supportingframe is mounted upon wheels; and my said invention has for its object to so construct the device as to adapt it to be thus supported.

Another object of my invention is to provide plow members running in advance of the wheels for the purpose of leveling the rows in front of the wheels, so as to cause the machine to run steady.

Another peculiarity of my invention consists in a novel means for adjusting the thinning-plows.

With these and other objects in view, all of which tend to produce a machine of the class described which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efliciency, my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cotton-thinning machine constructed in accordance with the principles of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View taken through the front beam of the adjustable Serial No. 149,181. (No modal.)

plow-carrying frame, enlarged. Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modification of the construction of the thinningplows.

Oorresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similar numerals of reference.

1 designates a beam constituting the axle of the machine, which in the present instance is made of wood and which is provided at its ends with spindles 2 2, supported by downwardly-extending brackets 3, having flanges 4: that engage the ends of the axle, to which they are suitably secured by means of bolts or equivalent fastening means. Spindles 2 carry the wheels 5, which support the frame ofthe machine. The main or supporting frame com prises besides the axle 1 end pieces 6 6, which are suitably secured upon and near the ends of the axle and which have upturned ends 7, forming posts upon which the movable frame, which is to be hereinafter described, is vertically adjustable. A tongue 8 is secured to and extends forwardly from the axle and supports at its rear end the seat-bar 9, having the seat 10. The axle also supports a segmentrack 11, witliwvliich a hand-lever 12 is concentrically connected, said l1and-lever being provided with a suitably-operated pawl or detent 13, engaging the segment-rack, as will be readily understood. The lever 12 is also connected with a rock -shaft 1 1, suitably mounted upon the axle and having a crank 15, which is disposed convenient to the feet of the driver, thus forming a footrest, which may also be appropriately utilized to assist in operating the rock-shaft 1 1, as will be readily understood, the driver grasping with his hand the lever 12 and exerting pressure with his feet upon the crank 15 to oscillate the rockshaft to adjust the parts operated thereby, as will be presently more fully described.

In the angles or corners between the end pieces 6 and uprights 7 are placed braces or angle-irons 16, which serve not only to brace the said end pieces and uprights, but also to formstops to limit the downward movement of the vertically adjustable plow carrying frame. vSaid angle-irons also serve for the pivotal attachment of cam-plates 17, the lower ends of which are connected by means of rods but with the front bar 21 of the adjustable frame, which latter is provided at its corners with vertical openings 26, engaging the uprights 7 at the corners of the supportingframe. The said vertically-movable frame 20 is supported when in a lowered position upon the angle irons or stops 16. It will be seen that by manipulating the rock-shaft 14 the cam-plates 17 will be operated to elevate the frame 20 and its attachments to any desired point within the limits of its adjustment, the frame being retained in its adjusted position by the dog 13 of the hand-lever 12 engaging an appropriate notch in the racksegment 11.

The front bar 21 is composed of two separate pieces or members 27, spaced apart and provided on their opposing faces with facings 28, consisting of steel plates which extend slightly in rear of the members 27, thus forming flanges 29. The members 27, with their facings 28, are connected together at appropriate intervals by means of vertical bolts 30, sufficient space being left between the facings 29 to accommodate hook-bolts 31, which are thus capable of lateral adjustment between the upper and lower members of the front beam. These hook-bolts serve as means of attachment for the shanks 32, carrying the front or thinning plows 33, and said shanks are provided in their front sides with notches 34, suitably spaced to engage the flanges 29, formed by the rear edges of the facings 38. It will thus be seen that when one of said standards is engaged by the hook-bolt 31 and the nut 35 is tightened upon the latter against the front side of the compound beam 21 said standard will be held with absolute security against either vertical or lateral displacement. It will also be seen that readjustment may be effected at any time with very little trouble by simply loosening nuts 35, making the desired adjustment, and resetting the nuts.

The thinning-plows 33 may consist of approximately vertical blades 36, provided at their lower ends with laterally extending wings 37, which cut under the soil, thus destroying the roots of the plants and loosening the latter, so that they may be afterward readily removed by the shovel-plows, which operate between the stands of cotton, as will be presently described. The thinning-plows may also when desired be made of the modified form illustrated in Fig. 4, in which the plow-shank is curved in an upward and outward direction, as shown at 38, and then forwardly, as at 39, to support an approximately horizontally-disposed triangular blade 40, the point of which coacts with a colter 41, extending downwardly from the shank to a point directly in front of the blade 40. Other modifications in the construction of the thinningplows may be made within the scope of my invention, and I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise forms or constructions herein illustrated.

The rear beam 22 of the adjustable frame is provided with suitably-disposed eyebolts 42 for the pivotal support of the shanks 43 of the shovel-plows 44, which are disposed between the stands of cotton. The standards of the outer shovels are provided with shafts 45, each supported ontwo uprights 42 and provided at their inner ends with forwardly-extending arms 46, which aline with the shanks of the inner shovels. Said shanks 43 and arms 46 are supported at their front ends by means of suitably-disposed springs 47 and at their said ends are provided with foot-plates or treadles 48, which may be depressed by the feet of the driver, so as to temporarily elevate any one of the shovels from the ground. A somewhat similar construction has been shown in my Letters Patent above referred to with the exception, however, that in said patent the shovels were capable of being elevated in pairs only, while by my present improvement they are individually adjustable, the advantage of which will be readily understood. The said shovels each comprise three wings or blades 49, the outer ones of which are spaced sufficiently to clear the rows between the stands of cotton and to throw the plants which it is desired to remove out of the way with certainty, such plants having been previously loosened by means of the thinningplows, as before described. In case that for any reason it should be desired to leave a stand of cotton the appropriate shovel may be temporarily elevated by simple pressure of the drivers foot upon the treadle of the shank associated with said shovel.

Suitably connected with the front uprights 7 of the end pieces 6 of the ground-frame are the standards of plows 51, which are disposed to run directly in front of tlfe wheels for the purpose of cutting through the ridges in front of said wheels, so that a path may be provided upon which the wheels may run smoothly and evenly and without danger of jolting or jumping. This feature greatly adds to the efficiency of the machine, as will be readily understood, inasmuch as it enables the work to be performed more evenly and accurately.

52 designates a draw-bar, which is firmly secured to the axle of the machine near the center thereof or at any appropriate point.

In the annexed drawings it has been shown as being attached closely adjacent to the drivers seat. This draw-bar carries at its rear end a trail-wheel 58, which serves to balance the frame of the machine and to keep it from tilting. If desired, more than one of these trailwheels may be employed, and their location and disposition may be altered within the scope of my invention.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. The verticallyadjustable plow-carrying frame may be easily and quickly adjusted to any desired elevation, thus causing the plows to cut into the ground at any desired depth. The means whereby the adjustment is effected are simple in the extreme, and the construction of the plows is such as to cause the work required of them to be accurately and efficiently performed.

I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself as regards the material of which the frames of my improved plow may be constructed. Thus, for instance, while I have described the axle as consisting of a wooden beam provided with spindles at the ends thereof an all-iron axle may be used when desired. Likewise, as regards the front beam of the plow-carrying frame, I do not limit myself to the exact construction of the same herein shown and described, provided, of course, that the distinguishing peculiarities of the same are retained. Broadly, therefore, I wish to state that I do not limit myself to the exact construction, proportions, or manner of assemblage of the parts comprising my invention, but reserve the right to any changes, modifications, and alterations that may be resorted to within the scope of my invention and without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the utility of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the class described, a supporting-frame comprising an axle, end pieces having upturned ends forming guide-posts, wheels supporting the axle, a tongue connected with the axle, and a seat mounted upon said tongue.

2. In a device of the class described, a sup porting-frame comprising an axle, end pieces supported upon said axle, uprights at the front and rear ends of said end pieces, a rock-shaft mounted upon said axle and having cranks at the ends thereof, angle-irons connecting the end pieces with the uprights at the front and rear ends thereof, cam-plates pivoted to said angle-irons, and rods connecting said camplates at the ends of the rock-shaft.

3. In a device of the class described, an axle supported uponwheels, end pieces supported upon said axle and having uprights at the front and rear ends thereof, angle-irons connecting said end pieces'with said uprights,

cam-plates pivoted to said angle-irons, a rockshaft having cranksand rods connecting said cranks with the cam-plates, means for operating the rock-shaft, and a vertically-adjustable ploW-carrying frame mounted upon the uprights of the end pieces, supported upon the angle-irons and capable of being elevated by means of the cam-plates.

4. In a device of the class described, a supporting-frame having uprights provided with angle-irons forming supporting-stops, camplates pivoted to said angle-irons, a plow-carrying frame vertically movable upon said uprights by means of the cam-plates, means including a rock-shaft having cranks and connecting-rods for operating said cam-plates to elfect the vertical adjustment of the plow-carrying frame, and means for maintaining the latter in its adjusted position.

5. In a device of the class described, a vertically-adjustable plowcarrying frame, the front beam of said frame being constructed of spaced upper and lower members, facingplates secured to the adjacent, opposing faces of said upper and lower members, said facingplates being extended rearwardly to form flanges, hook-bolts between the facings of said spaced members, and plow-carrying standards engaged by said hookbolts and having notches engaging the flanges formed by the rearward extensions of the facing-plates.

6. In a device of the class described, a wheeled supporting-frame having end pieces provided with uprights, a vertically-adjustable plow-carrying frame guided upon said uprights, cam-plates supporting said adjustable frame, a rock-shaft mounted upon the supporting-frame and having cranks at the ends thereof, rods connecting said cranks with the cam-plates, a seat mounted upon the supporting-frame, a crank formed upon the rockshaft in proximity to said seat, and a lever also connected with the rock-shaft within reach of the driver.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Wheeled supporting-frame, of a vertically-adjustable plow-carrying frame, a draw-bar connected with the axle of the supporting-frame independently of the plow-carrying frame, and a trail-wheel supported at the rear end of said draw-bar.

8. A device of the class described comprising a Wheeled supporting-frame, a draw-bar rigidly connected with said supportin '-frame and having a trail-Wheel, a frame vertically adjustable with relation to the supporting-frame and carrying plow thinning apparatus, and ridge-cutting device disposed in advance of and adapted to level a path to facilitate the progress of the device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE LAWSON GREEN.

Witnesses J. 1'. STURDIVANT, JOHN GIBsoN. 

